Understanding the genetic makeup of food crops is critical if we want to develop sustainable ways of protecting those crops against disease. To this end, researchers are using genomics to study plants and their characteristics. Distinguished McKnight Professor Nevin Young (Plant...Read more

In the past few decades, researchers specializing in condensed matter physics have been intensely interested in studying the properties of strongly correlated quantum many-body systems, which are systems on the microscopic scale that include more than two particles that interact with each other. Researchers especially want to be able to explain how the macroscopic behavior of...Read more

Polymers, which many people think refer only to plastic, are actually a large group of natural and man-made materials. They have many uses in industry and as consumer products. Some of these include the super-absorbant polymers used in disposable diapers, the heat-stable materials used for non-stick cookware, and the fiber spandex, used for stretchy clothing like athletic wear and...Read more

In the course of the history of agriculture, humans have tried to change the properties of the crops they raise. Maize (corn) is a very valuable and widely grown crop, and researchers are able to trace how modern maize has been developed from its wild ancestor, a plant called teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis).

With the recent appearance of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV), coronaviruses are once again in the news. These viruses are found worldwide and some of them can create serious illness in humans. SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome), which is caused by a coronavirus, killed hundreds of people in 2002-2003.